Buy a Lemon, Sue the Dealer and Only the Dealer

Buy a lemon, sue the dealer, but that’s the only one you would be able to sue under a bill approved by the House and sent to the Senate.

Kansas City Representative John Burnett (D) harshly criticizes the bill during House floor debate, "This guts the consumer protections that consumers now have against auto dealers"

Not so says sponsor Jay Wasson (R-Nixa) who says his bill simply returns to state law prior to a Missouri Supreme Court ruling that made anyone who ever touched the vehicle vulnerable to a lawsuit. Rep. Michael Frame (D-Eureka) dismisses Wasson’s assertion that his bill was the result of long hours are the negotiating table. Frame engages in a noisy argument with Wasson on the House floor; Frame asking Wasson who represented consumers at the table and Wasson responding that he represented the consumer.

Wasson insists his bill does nothing to stop personal injury claims arising from neglect. He says his bill is narrow and state law that allows consumers to file lawsuits over fraud remains on the books. Supporters of HB 1970 say that if the legislature doesn’t act, consumers will be hard pressed to sell aging cars, because dealers won’t want to open themselves up to lawsuits.